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This is the lower of two peaks in the Mourne Mountains called Slievenaglogh, the other being situated further north near Hare's Gap. This Slievenaglogh overlooks the Silent Valley Reservoir, constructed in the 1920s to supply water for Belfast. Before it was flooded, the Silent Valley was known as the 'Happy Valley'. Labourers from the Happy Valley constructed the Mourne Wall for the Belfast and District Water Commissioners to delimit the catchment area. It is 2-2.5m high and 1m thick, encloses 9,000 acres of land (3,600 hectares) and passes over the summit of many of Mourne's highest peaks.
Slievenaglogh is the 748th highest place in Ireland.Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/635/

Similar to paulocon I headed up Slievenaglogh from the Silent Valley Reservoir car park. At the west side of the reservoir there is a track shown on the map leading up to a mini quarry and pond. Along this track there is a pole with the orienteering symbol of red and white triangles forming a square. At this pole I left the main track and followed a muddy and wet trail until it brought me up to the Mourne Wall. I hadnt read paulocons sage advice about keeping to the wall, and after following it for a while I struck out across open bog towards the slopes of Slievenaglogh.

This was a mistake as the ground really is very wet , and my feet disappeared underwater in many places when I thought I was stepping onto firm grass or heather. I wasted a lot of time criss-crossing the bog to find a way across. When I eventually reached the slope of Slievenaglogh I scaled a tributary wall and then the main Mourne Wall itself. From this height looking back down into the bog I could see just how wet it was as water glistened everywhere.

The haul up to the summit alongside the wall is steep and in places large jumbles of rock need to be skirted. If climbing on the left hand side of the wall, a stile at the top gives access over the wall to gain the small summit cairn. From the summit fabulous views can be had of the Silent Valley up to the Ben Crom Reservoir. The odd stump of Wee Binnian is just across the reservoir to the east, and the views back over the bog to the south give a great sense of isolation.

I followed the Mourne Wall back down but branched off to the right at some stone shelters to keep out of the bog. In fact the wall ceases for a few hundred metres as it crosses the flat bog, no doubt because of the saturated ground. By branching off at the stone shelters I followed an old track that parallels the wall from a safe (and dry) distance. On reaching another wall I turned left and followed it until it joined the Mourne Wall and the ramble back to the Silent Valley Reservoir. As paulocon suggests, the straightforward and drier option is to use the Mourne Wall and its subsidiaries to navigate this wet bog on the way up and back, rather than taking the shorter route across the innocent looking bog.

This walk took me 3 hours return, which was longer than I expected. However it was a nice handy walk overall, and it offered new views and perspectives on the wider Mourne mountains around. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/635/comment/4272/

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Picture from paulocon : View from the summit towards Slieve Muck

Picture: View from the summit towards Slieve Muck

A nuisance to be encountered

by paulocon 8 May 2010

Other than the fact that The Mourne Wall runs across it's summit, Slievenaglogh would probably be rarely climbed. I have climbed it twice, both as part of a walk along the Mourne Wall and in both instances, I have seen it as something of a nuisance that had to be encountered.

The ground between Silent Valley and Slievenaglogh is probably the boggiest and least pleasant along the wall. As mentioned elsewhere, the wall initially swings away from Slievenaglogh and the temptation is to take a short-cut in a straight line to the mountain but this is not to be recommended unless you have packed diving gear! In fact, the ground is so wet that it would appear to have swallowed up a section of a seperate wall (perhaps the Mourne Wall used to run across this boggy ground before being rebuilt).

Sticking close to the wall will make for the best Progress and as the ground starts rising, it dries out and gives way to a rocky but short climb to the top of Slievenaglogh. The small summit cairn is on the far side of the wall and gives great views across to Slieve Muck. Views to the North give way to the unmistakable summit of Doan as well as Ben Crom Reservoir and Slieve Binnian.

Probably one of my least favourite summits in the Mournes. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/635/comment/4689/

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Picture from csd : Slieve Binnan N Tor and Ben Crom reservoir.

Picture: Slieve Binnan N Tor and Ben Crom reservoir.

csd on Slievenaglogh, 2009

by csd 8 Feb 2009

There's a small car park at the bottom of the Banns Road, at J28460 21419A, where I parked for my walk up to Slievenaglogh. I followed the road (a track, really) north into the hills, before striking out east across open ground to gain the summit of Slievenaglogh. Terrific views from the top of the reservoirs and nearby peaks, which belie Slievenaglogh's modest height. Well worth the effort! Up and down via the Banns Road can be done in two hours, though you'll probably want to make more of a walk of it if you have the time to spare. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/635/comment/3570/

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Picture from wicklore : On a calm day the still waters of the reservoir reflect Slievenaglogh

Picture: On a calm day the still waters of the reservoir reflect Slievenaglogh

wicklore on Slievenaglogh, 2009

by wicklore 18 Nov 2009

The Silent Valley Reservoir park is a great place to park to access Slievenaglogh. A path leads the 3 kms to the Ben Crom reservoirs also, giving access further into the heart of the Mournes. Similar to paulocon's, my photo shows the reservoir with Slievenaglogh to the left, and Doan prominent in the distance. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/635/comment/4274/

Climbed from Silent Valley as part of a walk along the Mourne Wall. The wall initially runs to the left of the mountain to avoid the worst of the heavy ground and I recommend you do the same. The wall then makes straight for the top and as the ground gets drier, the incline gets steeper. The wall can then be followed down another very steep incline to cross Bann's Road and on up Slieve Muck. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/635/comment/4056/

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Picture from csd : Doan, Ben Crom, and Slievenamagan

Picture: Doan, Ben Crom, and Slievenamagan

csd on Slievenaglogh, 2009

by csd 8 Feb 2009

Slievenaglogh's position ensures it commands some great views of the central Mournes. Here's Doan, Ben Crom, and Slievenamagan on a wintry February Sunday (08.02.2009). Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/635/comment/3571/